Saturday, April 25, 2020

Hyderabad: Even as the city lies silent, courtesy the first-of-its-kind lockdown, there is a flurry of activity at the Begumpet airport these days with the movement of helicopters, air ambulances and aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF).
While the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) at Shamshabad is operating relief and evacuation flights to take foreigners to their countries, the Begumpet airport is playing a key role in shifting patients from the city to their native places.
A patient was already shifted to his native place in Indore on Wednesday in an air ambulance while arrangements were made to airlift one more patient to Bhopal on Thursday. The body of a person was shifted to Kolkata from the city in an air ambulance a week ago.

Choppers regularly used by the government are also being operated from Begumpet along with chartered flights of VIPs and politicians. The IAF is utilising the airport for training its cadets. Cadets go for a sortie from the airport as part of their training in the IAF.

Airport Director C Pattabhi said they were taking necessary precautionary measures while operating services. “We are allowing air ambulances from the airport after getting clearances from the Health and Police departments for shifting a patient or a body,” he said.
25/04/20 AuthorSrinivas M/Telangana Today